Developer Sad Cat Studios has just confirmed that Replaced is heading to Xbox Game Pass on March 12, 2026. The long-awaited cyberpunk side-scroller is the latest to join an ever-growing list of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2026, a list that currently includes heavy hitters like Halo, Fable, and Gears of War.
Announced all the way back in 2021 during the last E3 event, Replaced is an action-platformer that’s set in an alternate cyberpunk dystopian version of 1980s America where nuclear war has devastated the country. Players will take control of R.E.A.C.H. (Research Engine for Altering and Composing Humans), an AI trapped in the body of a human. Along with stylish, brutal action and smooth platforming, one of Replaced‘s biggest selling points is its breathtaking hand-crafted pixel art style that’s given a distinct identity through the use of modern camera and lighting techniques.
Replaced Is Coming to Xbox Game Pass on March 12, 2026
Developer Sad Cat Studios finally confirmed Replaced‘s release date on December 4 via a new trailer hosted on IGN’s YouTube channel. Along with confirming the new March 12, 2026 release date, this new Replaced trailer showcased around two minutes of gameplay footage. With a launch date now officially confirmed, Replaced becomes the third Xbox Game Pass title with a concrete 2026 release date, with the current list looking like this:
- MENACE — February 5, 2026 (PC)
- High on Life 2 — February 13, 2026 (Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud)
- Replaced — March 12, 2026 (Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Getting an official release date for Replaced has been a long time coming. Though it made its public debut at E3 2021, Replaced has reportedly been in development at Sad Cat Studios since 2018. What will be the studio’s debut project was initially given a 2022 release window when it was first revealed, but was quickly delayed out of the year. Replaced appeared again at The Game Awards 2022, where it was given a general 2023 release date. Of course, Replaced was then delayed again in September 2023, with its developers stating that they wanted to ensure that the game would live up to the expectations fans had developed following its initial trailers. One final delay hit Replaced in August 2024, with its developers citing quality assurance again as the reason behind its push to 2025.
So now, after three official delays, four years since its announcement, and seven years of development, Replaced having a confirmed release date of March 12, 2026 is a very big deal. When it launches in March 2026, Replaced will be available on both Xbox and PC Game Pass, as well as for purchase from Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions of Replaced have not been officially confirmed yet.
While Replaced is one of three upcoming Xbox Game Pass titles with a concrete 2026 release date, there are just over 40 games currently confirmed to be coming to the Microsoft subscription service at some point next year. As mentioned up top, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Fable, and Gears of War: E-Day are all currently slated for an Xbox Game Pass launch in 2026. They’re set to be joined by other major AAA titles like Forza Horizon 6, Persona 4 Revival, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, and Subnautica 2. A wealth of smaller games are also already confirmed to be coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2026, with some of the most notable being Mixtape, Vampire Crawlers, Denshattack!, Harmonium: The Musical, and Buckshot Roulette. Even with just the games mentioned here, Xbox Game Pass is set to have a strong 2026.
- Developer(s)
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Sad Cat Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Coatsink, Thunderful Development
